Zainudin Nordin
Singapore
“We may end up a burden to our future Government and our future generation, but it is necessary. We must do this and, at the same time, we should also make sure that there are enough resources in the future and safeguard and manage the Silver Support Scheme well.”
“They are worried that they would just simply lose their jobs upon reaching the age of 65. They are still alert and full of energy. These are real concerns of Singaporean workers. We should look longer into our Employment Act amendments and see how we can further take into consideration some of this feedback and take care of our workers.”
“Madam, I am very supportive of the Singaporean Core initiative. But on the other hand, I would just like to understand better if all these efforts of getting the EP are making the employers' job more onerous and more difficult, and whether there is a change in image about Singapore being a friendly country for investments, and also, in th…”
“Mdm Speaker, just a supplementary question. I agree with the Prime Minister on taking time and doing this properly. I would like to also reiterate the point that Mr Lee was a giant among the Pioneer leaders and I would not be wrong to say that he was much loved and respected by many.”
“Mdm Chair, for all the resources that the Government is investing in continuous education and training, more still needs to be done to instil a lifelong learning culture in the Singapore worker's psyche. So, I think SkillsFuture is a very promising initiative to encourage working adults to improve themselves.”
“A supplementary question, Mdm Speaker. I would like to ask the Minister if the recipients of the zakat donations are excluded from the regular assistance elsewhere, or can they also tap on the national schemes.”
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“Has our companies penetrated the Middle East countries for all the opportunities that they provide? Singapore having built its reputation as an international financial centre with world-class facilities can play a pivotal role in providing services and support to facilitate trade relationship between Asia and Middle East countries. Sir, as a result of the warm relationship, the Middle East Institute, which is an autonomous research institute within the National University of Singapore, was established. To-date, several talks by distinguished speakers have been organised to benefit scholars with insights on the Middle East. I hope the Minister can also provide us with some update on how else can this Institute help in promoting a better understanding of Middle East. What are the other exchanges planned for the coming year with the Middle East countries?”
“Sir, the months ahead may see the interesting development in the Middle East, in terms of politics and economic development. The new leaders in the White House are putting out the olive branch to the Muslim world which may, hopefully, result in gradual rapprochement. But it will be naive to think a magic carpet solution to the issues. The Middle Eastern economies have demonstrated sustained economic boom and immense opportunity in non oil, non traditional sectors, such as construction, retail, transportation, logistics, water treatment, infrastructure and city planning. But, today, as the world grapples with the fallout from years of mismanagement of financial policies, Middle East states, like Dubai, Qatar, Abu Dhabi and others who had benefited from the oil wealth are also beginning to feel the "heat", hotter than the desert heat. No doubt, they will see their wealth shrink because of their investment in various decaying financial assets, but their oil wealth has provided some comfortable cushion. Singapore has a good working relationship with the Middle East. Several high level Ministerial visits were made, including a tour by our President to Egypt and Jordan. However, as an article in the Arab English Language daily, Arab News, stated it was a good start but more must be done. I hope the Minister can update the House on the progress of our efforts to strengthen relations and open new platforms between the Middle East countries and Singapore. I believe some of the opened doors have resulted in mutual beneficial economic gains but I think not enough is done to promote cultural exchanges and the people-to-people contact, including tourism. Has Singapore companies benefited from the improved relationships with the Middle East countries?”
“Sir, before we go the route of the Americans, being known as a nation of spenders rather than savers, something needs to be done about the easy availability of credit cards in Singapore. I know of a case of a foot masseur, earning less than $4,000 a month having six gold and platinum credit cards and the same amount of credit line. It is worthwhile for us to re-look at the values that we impart to our children. Parents need to give more guidance to the young. Similarly, we need to educate youths on the value of thrift and frugality. Just look at how and why our Government has always been prudent and it is able to save and grow our reserves so that we are in a better position to use during extremely difficult times. We do not accumulate debts, but we accumulate reserves. Sir, let me conclude. This is time for us to take a step back and re-evaluate our mindset, our skills and values. Develop true value and real substance that would be able to sustain us through thick and thin and not just superficials. Though we are small, we can make a difference by leading and showing the way. Our Government should help to lower the cost of doing business in whatever way possible. We should incentivise companies and employers who are willing to recruit local workers via CDC, NTUC and other Government-initiated job placement programmes. This would give our unemployed Singaporeans a fair shot at landing jobs, jobs and jobs. *Cols. 1845-1846. 2.13 pm”
“For young persons, it does not matter whether they are males or females, unless they are the grandsons or granddaughters of a multi-millionaire, it is ridiculous to chalk up credit card debts of multi-thousands of dollars. Let me illustrate with an example. If you owe $75,000 – which is a common thing now with the young people – the interest rate repayment alone on a monthly basis at 2% is $1,500. The very people who are in this situation, would be able to get out of the debt situation not, at least for another 10 years. The credit card and rollover credit in Singapore has reached absurd proportion. As at the end of 2007, the total amount of credit card rollover was a staggering $600 million. This amount would be able to provide a monthly stipend of $1,000 for a whole year benefiting 50,000 low-income families. The same amount could buy about four million 5 kg Thai Jasmine rice. While our population base grew at only 15% from year 2000 to 2007, the amount of credit card in circulation grew from 2.45 million in 2000 to 5.6 million in 2007. Credit cards are too easily available. It is a phenomenon that is global in nature. In the US, the Foreign Policy magazine survey showed that there are five credit cards for every person. In China, there is only one card for every 33 person. It is therefore little wonder, in this financial crisis, the United States is the cause and the People's Republic of China could possibly be the saviour. In fact, China is one of the biggest buyers of American treasuries at US$681.9 billion. So let me ask the House: how many credit cards do Members have in their wallets?”
“Go to e2i if they have not understood what they can do and help will always be given. (In English): For the needy and the low income, we have seen that the number seeking financial help has increased by 20%, from 800 to about 950 per month, since November 2008. Unfortunately, last year, Central Singapore CDC spent $17.6 million through national and local schemes to help some 12,000 low-income households. Just let me reiterate what the 12,000 low-income households means. It is equivalent to a single Member constituency. To spread out the network of help, we will work with our 23 grassroots divisions to tap on their ComCare funds, and all our VWOs and social services organisations. Yes, we are going to need to give more help in these extraordinary times. We need to assure our citizens and residents that they will be assisted if they are in real trouble. But at the end, no matter how much help is extended, people have to help themselves too. Unfortunately, we have seen a fair share of those who do not seem to want to do that, they just want money and assistance. I give Members an example. One man claimed he was unfit for work, but could not produce a medical certificate to explain what was wrong with him. We could also not see any physical problem or disability. Another woman, a housewife, said she could not go out and work because someone had to stay at home to look after the children. But after further investigation, we discovered that the children are already in secondary school and junior college. This sort of attitude will not do. Another concern of mine, Sir, is about the credit card culture in Singapore. Let me touch on the credit card situation in Singapore.”
“And if you do not have the skills, we will help you get them. You can, for example, tap on SPUR (Skills Programme for Upgrading Resilience), and also go to e2i where your skills can be upgraded. I must warn though, that the programme can only help with skills. When it comes to attitude, only you can determine that. At Central Singapore CDC, we will do more to help retrenched professionals like Roy and Chin Shia. We will run workshops where they can brush up on their interview skills, resume writing, and all others that will allow them in their hunt for a job. We will also run more CLICK! sessions, which have been proving very successful in motivating retrenched PMETs. We will also explore working with headhunters and recruitment agencies to find suitable jobs for this group of people. (In Malay): [For vernacular speech, please refer to Appendix A *. ] Mr Speaker, I like to encourage the workers to continue upgrading their knowledge and skills. In these hard times, we should use this opportunity to improve our own workers’ situation so that they will be able to get jobs. WDA and NTUC have set up e2i to help the workers to upgrade their skill. At the e2i, there are a lot of new training and new job opportunities available. At the e2i institute, workers who lost their jobs will be guided closely and given counselling on their own abilities and skills that can be nurtured. With the e2i, more workers will be helped to go into growth areas and industries, which still needs workers who are suitable and, more importantly, having in-demand skills. The message I wish to put across to our workers is that they must continue to open up their mind so that they can venture into new jobs, and be able to upgrade their lifelong skills and opportunities.”
“Then there are the ones who ask for a salary beyond what they can realistically demand, given their work experience and qualifications. And those who once held middle managerial or senior managerial positions insist on similar jobs with similar pay, despite the current situation. The problem is that with every recession, manufacturing plants and offices shed jobs. Singapore is now a service and knowledge economy. There is no shame in providing service. Surely, the greatest dignity is in earning your own keep. And change is possible. Let me tell you about two people who embraced change: One is Ms Ngan Chin Shia. She has a double degree and used to work in the financial sector. When she approached the CDC in November last year, she had been unemployed for more than a year. Our career consultant suggested she explore opportunities beyond the financial sector, and within two months, she had landed a job as a customer coordinator in a nursing home. Then there is Mr Roy Tan. He spent many years in the IT industry. He was very adamant about finding an IT-related job when he was retrenched. But two years later, he was still unemployed. He was withdrawn and had lost confidence in himself. We asked him to CLICK! This is the CDC's name for sessions where professionals like him get together and talk about their situation, their feelings, and how they have handled things and overcome their difficulties. They learn that they are not alone in being retrenched. Basically, they support each other. He came out of his shell, and now he is working in sales. He also has a side job – he is a TV extra in drama serials! And now he shares his transformation with others at CLICK! So you see, today, having a job is about having a great attitude, of having the skills that employers want.”
“A few of these key players who do this are Singapore Power, Rentokil and Watsons. But just as there are exemplary employers, there have been some with unreasonable demands. These include employers who are only willing to hire people between 20 to 30 years old for jobs like cashiers, kitchen helpers, waitresses, jobs which older workers have shown time and time again that they can excel in. Sir, to Singaporean workers young and old, I say: "Your time has come; time to make use of the current climate to improve yourselves. Don't be discouraged by the gloomy outlook. There are always, and will always be opportunities, even at the worst of times". We do see how difficult times have become. At my CDC, there has been a surge in the number of people seeking help to find work. In the last two months of 2008, the CDC saw a larger than 20% increase in the number of job seekers. From an average of 400 a month, the number has leapt to 520 a month. In January this year, it jumped another 17%, to 610 job seekers. In December, about a third asking for help were PMETs – professionals, managers, executives and technicians. Usually, they make up 20% of the job seekers. So that is a 50% increase! Finding people a job is one thing, persuading them to take it is another. First and foremost, they have to ask themselves: how adventurous am I? Am I open to new experiences? Am I willing to try a new line, a new career? In the CDC, we have seen too many people who do not have a gungho spirit. At least 75 people a month refuse to take up good jobs. And their excuses? Here are some of the reasons we have heard: I do not want to work shifts; cannot, too far from my home; I do not want to serve people; I only want to work in an office.”
“For in your hands is the livelihood of thousands of people. However, allow me to point out that for us to be a more competitive economy, the productivity must improve. Unfortunately, this is not the case in the last few years. It is distressing to see that despite the millions of dollars poured into this country's continuous education and training infrastructure and programmes, millions of dollars to give highly skilled workers an up-to-date workforce, Singaporeans and PRs' productivity has declined. One can only conclude that it is a result of employers' much-stated preference for foreign workers over locals. Let us state categorically – do not get me wrong – I am of the view that foreign workers are vital to our economy, especially in the sectors where locals are few and hard to find, where they bring valuable skills and talent to grow our industries and where they can transfer their expertise to our locals too. But when cheap foreign labour, as an immediate panacea to our employers' labour concerns, supersedes the upgrading the skills of our workforce, it becomes a real concern. Low-cost production hubs like China and India have been investing in capital and improving labour productivity. So, can Singaporean employers afford to simply sit still and depend on cheap foreign labour? I would encourage them to take the opportunity to go back to basics to improve productivity and at the same time hire local workers. Over the years, the CDCs and the NTUC have been heartened to work with companies in many areas from even foot reflexology, pest controllers and those in the security sector, which have been receptive to going local. Increasingly, the F&B, healthcare, conservancy and secu- rity sectors are also willing to give older workers a shot.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, today is the rainy day we have been saving up for. The idea of dipping into our savings during extraordinarily hard times is natural. This is why I support this Budget's move to use our reserves for two things: one, to prevent a severe loss of jobs; and two, to help tide low-income citizens over this trying period. The Budget 2009 was crafted with a strong sense of realism and a deep respect of uncertainties of the future. There is no doubt that this Budget had to be expansionary. Compared to the trillion dollar collapses that we have seen around the world, $20.5 billion or approximately US$15 billion might not sound like a lot of money, but let us put things in perspective. The $20.5 billion represents 6% of our GDP. To date, it has become one of the most aggressive stimulus plans per capita basis on this planet. That is why when I hear the hon. Member Low Thia Khiang say in his speech that is "not unusual fiscal response", I wondered what would be unusual for him and what would be enough in his view. But this Budget only marks the beginning of a long road we all need to undertake, individually and as a nation. Let us use this financial crisis as an opportunity to examine the way we do things – to refocus on the basics and re-determine our fundamentals. We seem to have forgotten what these are, judging by the excesses of the last 10 years. When it comes to jobs, I call upon both employers and employees to do the right thing, for each group depends on the other for the means to make it through terrible economic times. To the employers, I say that the survival and success of your businesses and companies are crucial. It means more to the continuation of all you have worked hard to achieve.”
“NTUC will continue to work with the Ministries and its partners to conduct more outreach programmes to educate the workers on their rights and help them to resolve their problems at their workplace. We will work closely together to launch a concerted effort to identify and prosecute, hopefully, companies breaking the law and crack down on them. It is important that we raise the awareness of employment rights and ensure that these rights are properly enforced. We should not allow unscrupulous employers who undercut honest competition and take advantage of workers who are so desperate to earn a living that they are so fearful of losing their jobs if they highlight their plights to others. Mr Deputy Speaker, we have a unique tripartite relationship between Government, employers and unions that should be harnessed to enhance the lives of all workers including the low-wage contract and casual workers. Everyone must play their part, both employers, employees and also the Government. We need to pledge to work together for a better life for all workers. On that note, Sir, I support the Bill. 5.17 pm”
“But the fact that such an advisory has to be released by the committee for the industry to adopt tells us many things. One compelling question is, why do we need the advisory if the Employment Act is in place? It is sometimes very discouraging to hear that some companies appraised staff on how much cost savings they help to achieve for the company when awarding contracts, without looking at the quality of work rendered by the service providers. Price is often the main determinant and service providers end up marking down their price in order to win the contract. Somehow, workers get squeezed in this vicious spiral. In many cases, workers suffered salary decline each time they work for a new employer as a result of his former employer losing the contract to a new service provider. I urge all responsible service buyers to constantly check and review the contract specifications and ensure that they are based on performance rather than on price and headcount. The contract specifications should include industry-recognised service standards, trained and experienced workers, good financial standing, fair employment terms and investment in workers' training. Service buyers should offer longer contract tenure so that service providers are more prepared to invest in equipment and training. Last but not least, service buyers need to have audit and enforcement procedures to ensure service excellence and money well spent. This approach is more sustainable and will benefit the host company as workers who are taken care of, especially of their basic needs, will be motivated to perform. As a result, there will be less absenteeism and low turnover rate.”
“It was also mentioned that for the past decade, all other occupational groups enjoyed wage gains with the exception of the cleaners, labourers and related workers. The highest median gross monthly wages stood at approximately $6,000 for managers. Hence, we can see that the income disparity widens further between the lowly educated and educated. Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, today I would like to appeal and call for a concerted national effort to help bring these disadvantaged workers and their families into the mainstream of our economy through concrete and active approaches that focus on self-sufficiency, advancement, assistance programmes and corporate social responsibility. And this includes a more significant improvement and implementation of the laws, as stipulated in the Employment Act. Each and everyone of us can help to champion this cause through various ways. For example, end-user or service buyer companies can help influence good employment conditions when contracting third-party services through responsible outsourcing. We know that in today's globalised world, there is an increasing trend towards outsourcing, and responsible outsourcing can be a big challenge for many companies. As a result, some take risk by flouting the law as they are dealing with lowly educated, lowly skilled and vulnerable workers. Many positive developments have taken place. For example, in March this year, the Tripartite Committee on CPF and Work-Related Benefits for Low-Wage Workers (TRICOM) had unveiled a Tripartite Advisory on Responsible Outsourcing Practices to help end-user companies enhance the employment terms and conditions of employees of their service providers. This is a good initiative and many more have come on board.”
“We know that likelihood for the employment opportunities this year will not be good and, worse, the unemployment numbers will also increase. We are witnessing an unprecedented phenomenon that is unfolding before our own eyes and the world economy is battered by the financial crisis. The job market in Singapore will not be spared. Hence, many workers and Singaporeans' lives will be affected by this. Sir, let me go into detail on the contract and casual workers. In 2001, there were only about 59,000 individuals on contract employment. However, as at June 2007, this number has increased by more than two-fold to 183,000. This comprises 12% of the working population. Cleaners, labourers and related workers constitute close to 40,000 workers. Industries they work in include cleaning, landscaping, construction and logistics sectors. They are the unsung heroes who wake up very early in the morning to clean our offices, maintain the gardens and ensure that we have clean roads. Through our outreach programmes at NTUC, we found out that many of them face long working hours, have low skills, and do not have many benefits, savings and job security. Sometimes, unfortunately, because of all these conditions, they are not interested to go for training and upgrading. While many benefited positively from Singapore's economy growth, these workers, on the contrary, actually experienced a drop in their salaries, and have no statutory benefits and CPF payments. Some employers also resort to employing cheap foreign workers to replace them. It was highlighted in the Report for Wages in Singapore 2007 that among the blue-collar jobs, the lowest paid groups are the cleaners, labourers and related workers who were paid a median gross monthly wage at around $750 to $800.”
“Everyone – including the Ministry of Manpower, the Union and employer – must work together to ensure that employers adhere to the rules and do not exploit any loopholes, or make structural changes that would unfairly exclude the employees from the protection of the Employment Act. Sir, I would like to highlight another area that needs attention, and that is our term contract resident employees, which numbers about 200,000 and growing. These casual, contract and low wage workers are often found to be in a disadvantaged situation where they are deprived from basic statutory rights like CPF, leave entitlement and medical coverage. Let me ask: why is this so? Has the Employment Act been able to make a difference to improve the situation of this group of people that is growing in number? This is an area that has to be seriously looked at. It is often said that the sign of a successful nation is not how many millionaires it can create, but the extent to which it renders help to those who have not been able to progress as much as others. This is why I am focusing on low wage workers of which many of them are in contract employment and are trying very hard to move up into the economic mainstream. Singapore and, more importantly, Singaporeans have come a long way since our independence in 1965. We have grown and progressed together from strength to strength over the past 43 years. The transformation of Singapore from a backwater economy to one of the most flexible and dynamic economies in the world is an achievement not to be taken lightly. Indeed, it has both been an arduous, yet amazing journey. But we all know that 2008 is already and will be a different year.”
“In the proposals to review the employment standards and benefits, I am glad to see that emphasis is being given to the well-being of workers. In these uncertain times, the employee's health must not be neglected nor sacrificed. If an employee is unwell, employers must make it easy and convenient for employees to seek medical attention, or to take medical leave and rest at home. Paid public holiday should also be seen as an entitlement, and not merely as a privilege. The proposal to redefine part-time employees is another welcomed move as it offers employers some flexibility to hire part-timers and, hopefully, help absorb some of the increased excess labour in the market. The proposed amendments will also provide the Ministry with more teeth through enhancement of the enforcement powers of the Employment Inspectors. And to make sure that the "bark" is equivalent to the "bite", the penalties against the infringements will also be increased. Furthermore, the proposals to streamline the dispute resolution process will ensure that conflicts are resolved quickly and both employee and employer can quickly move on with neither party being dragged into long proceedings. With these proposed changes, employers must relook into the employee list to appropriately define which category employees fall into. And depending on the nature of the business or operations, up to 20% of the company's employees could fall within the scope covered under the Employment Act. With such a significant portion of the workforce affected, we need to continuously check the effectiveness of the provisions and coverage of the Employment Act. We need to make sure that the workers are getting enough protection.”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, the last time that a substantive revision was made to the Employment Act was in 1995, and the labour market, profile and conditions have evolved noticeably since then. We know that the employment growth in Singapore slowed in the third quarter, with the job market expected to deteriorate further as the global economic slowdown and the financial crisis take its toll on our economy. Unfortunately, at times like these, employees seem to be the easiest target for any cost-cutting measure. This is akin to the ship captains unloading their burden into the high seas in the middle of a storm. Unfortunately, in this case, the deck hands are the ones being thrown overboard. Preliminary estimates are showing that the number of retrenchments rose to 2,000 in the third quarter, compared to just below 1,800 in the previous quarter. At times like these, we have to make sure that the Employment Act stays relevant and current to be able to protect workers and also maintain order in the industry. The proposal to revise the coverage of the Employment Act is timely as it addresses the changing employment market profile and salary scales. With the proposed amendments, confidential employees such as accounts assistants, human resource clerks and secretaries will no longer be left out and will be entitled to basic employment benefits and protection, equivalent to their other counterparts. Salary protection is also being proposed for junior managers and executives earning at or below the $2,500 monthly salary. As withholding their salary would be an offence, errant employers will think twice before victimising their junior staff members.”
“One supplementary question, Sir. I have looked at this industry and realised that there is a concern from the perspective of the practitioners in early childhood. The image is a concern. So I would like to ask if there are any plans – like what MOE does to improve the image of teachers and the professionals in the education sector – to improve it to a point where the attractiveness of this industry will also become as good as them, and create the career development of pre-school sector on par with the normal education sector.”
“Ultimately, a broken nuclear family with no real support impacts the society negatively. It is almost certain that without support, the broken and dysfunctional family problem will perpetuate into the next generation, the vicious cycle of fragmented families will continue and the problem can never end. We should tackle this problem before it happens, upstream. Recognising that the issue of teenage sexuality, minor marriages and dysfunctional families have become the new social menaces that plague our community, we have to ask ourselves: have we done enough to tackle the problem and what more can be done to cause real change and positive impact? Thus, the proposed amendment to increase the minimum age for Muslim marriages from 16 to 18 is a welcomed change that is necessary to address the challenges that I have mentioned earlier. Honestly, Sir, I would prefer for the change to be more significant, that is, to move it to the age of 21. Sir, in conclusion, strong and stable families will build strong community and society, and it is, in my opinion, a crucial building block for the advancement of the Malay/Muslim community. Though the proposed changes are not going to be a panacea to the issues of teenage sexuality, minor marriages and dysfunctional families, it will definitely assist in minimising the formation of such family. Sir, I support the Bill. 4.04 pm”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, thank you for allowing me to join in the debate on the Administration of Muslim Law (Amendment) Bill. Sir, I think all of us are well aware of the interesting, exciting and challenging times that we are living in. The amendments proposed to the AMLA Bill are necessary and timely. The Bill has to be current and relevant with the time, societal changes and challenges. In the current complex world, the family as a basic building block of society is often stretched and stressed. Parents are often at a loss on how to cope. We have seen often enough the problems faced by matured couples, not to mention the daunting challenges faced by young couples. This is more so for minor couples. Sir, families, as the basic social institution in a community, play a pivotal role in contributing to raising healthy responsible members of society. Family breakdown and the social isolation of some families contribute to social problems in many communities. Sadly, Sir, the fragmentation of family life and the emergence of high number of broken and dysfunctional families are all too often the result of minor marriages. To put it simply, they are just not ready and prepared for marriages. In a secure, nurturing home environment and healthy family life, the individual can naturally develop his or her sense of self-worth, sense of belonging and sharing, self-control, tolerance and a sense of morality and, not least in importance, cultivate feelings of affection and willingness to sacrifice for others. Numerous studies have proven that dysfunctional family conditions contribute to future delinquency. Dysfunctional family members, especially children, are deprived from developing into rounded human beings.”
“Thank you, Mr Minister, for the comprehensive reply. May I know the success of NUS and NTU and the other universities to encourage our local talents and students to take up research? What is the progress so far?”
“The Senior Parliamentary Secretary mentioned that some will be paying more and some will be paying less. Is there any indicator of the percentage of those who would expect to pay more or less?”
“Madam, two points of clarification. (1) Can the Minister consider relooking at the funding model for the VWOs with respect to the social workers' profession since the professionalisation of these workers was mentioned? We need to also moderate their expectations and understand the difficulties faced on the ground by VWOs. Can the Minister comment on this? (2) How many social workers are we expecting to produce within the next five to 10 years to meet these challenges which we are going to face more and more in the coming years? Are we considering to produce also the para-social workers at the diploma level, not necessarily the degree-level type?”
“Are we allocating our resources in the right areas? Are we giving our hands to those who are reaching out for help? Community-based Social Assistance”
“Sir, families, as the basic social institution in the community, play a pivotal role in contributing to raising healthy responsible members of society. Family breakdown and the social isolation of some families contribute to social problems in many communities. The fragmentation of family life and the emergence of a higher number of dysfunctional families are all too often the symptoms of a deteriorating society. Sir, in a secure nurturing home environment and healthy family life, the individual can naturally develop his or her sense of self-worth, belonging and sharing, can develop self-control, tolerance and a sense of morality and, not least in importance, cultivate feelings of affection and willingness to sacrifice for others. Numerous studies have proven that dysfunctional family conditions contribute to future delinquency. Dysfunctional family members, especially children, are deprived of developing into rounded human beings. Ultimately, a broken nuclear family with no real support impacts the society negatively. It is almost certain that, without support, the dysfunctional family problem will perpetuate into the next generation, a vicious cycle of fragmented families will continue, and the problem can never end. Such families desperately need the chance to stand up on their own feet, not just through financial resources but also through proper attention, care, such as counselling and empowerment programmes that build esteem, confidence and self-determination that are all focused in creating change and improvement in their beleaguered lives. Recognising the issue of dysfunctional families has become the new social menace and plagues our society, we have to ask ourselves: have we done enough to tackle the problem? What kind of help is available presently?”
“I just want to come back to the point that the fourth university will cater to a combination of students from the 'A' levels as well as from the polytechnics. But in increasing the percentage of students from each cohort going into university to 30%, what it means is that we can have proportionately more polytechnic students than is the case today to have the opportunity to get a degree education here in Singapore in one of our four institutions, if I include the fourth university. Today, it is less than one in six. In time to come, it will be better than one in five.”
“Sir, a clarification. I would like to ask MOS how does the worry about changing the polytechnics into universities square with the fact that now some of the polytechnics are given the opportunity to conduct degree programmes. And how does this, at the same time, compare to the fourth university? RAdm [NS] Lui Tuck Yew: Sir, firstly, about why we were not in favour of the idea of converting a polytechnic to become a university. There are several reasons, not the least of which really is the capacity constraint. We have five polytechnics all well subscribed. It is a mode of education that has become increasingly popular over the years, not least because our polytechnics offer a very high quality of education. So to convert a polytechnic to become a university, I think it means that we actually have to build yet another polytechnic. That is number one. Number two is that I think where there are niche areas, we encourage our polytechnics to work with a foreign institution to provide upgrading opportunities for specific areas. We have three programmes today for the polytechnics to tie up with the foreign special institutions (FSIs). One is in early childhood, second is in naval architecture and the third one, which was announced recently, is in retail marketing. These are the very limited areas for a very small number of students. That is really the approach that we have been taking for polytechnic and foreign special institutions tie-up. We plan to grow this to make more programmes available, tie-ups with more quality institutions from abroad so that there will be more opportunities for the polytechnic graduates. On top of that, I think the fourth university actually provides us the opportunity to do something different, and I have talked about it.”
“What they are getting in Northlight will not only enthuse them for the kind of education that will equip them with some basic skills so that, when they do transit to ITE, they will be better equipped and prepared than they would otherwise be if they had gone through the normal secondary route, including the Normal (Technical) stream. 4.30 pm”
“Sir, I would just like to know what kind of progress has Northlight gone through. What are the employment opportunities that are available for the graduates of Northlight and what are the resources that are being provided for the students in Northlight? What is the impact that MOE expects from the new requirement for pre-school and childcare teachers that has been set for 2009? What will be the impact? Is it cost? What are the other possibilities that can happen because of this requirement? RAdm [NS] Lui Tuck Yew: Sir, let me deal with Northlight. Northlight was started in order to provide more opportunities for the students who find that they have difficulty getting through PSLE and probably will have difficulty going into one of our national secondary schools where the syllabus and the approach are more academically-inclined. We decided to set up this school in order to be able to provide a different form of education for a group of students that are less academically-inclined. Judging by what has happened so far since the establishment of the school, it has really been very encouraging. Teachers were carefully selected, having that passion to work with a group of students who are more hands-on, need to be engaged in a different way, challenged and motivated in different ways. We have found the students responding well to the curriculum that has been put together for them. We have also been very encouraged by one additional aspect, ie, how the community has come in to support the school and the students.”
“We should also look into enhancing the attractiveness of this industry to the incumbent and the new teachers. Considering the importance of pre-school teachers, are we doing enough to fuel the passion? Have we developed comprehensive policy to take care of the welfare of these teachers?”
“Sir, research shows that a high quality early childhood education produces positive outcomes not only for children and their families, but has a longer term benefit to society as a whole. In addition to the curriculum and facilities, pre-school teachers are crucial to a successful pre-school experience. For many children, it is this first experience that should foster a lifelong joy of learning and an overall sense of comfort and achievement within a learning environment. However, despite their importance, our pre-school and childcare teachers are currently one of the lowest paid educators in the industry. Many of these teachers join the industry driven by passion. Unfortunately, many of them are leaving due to low pay, increased workload and stress. In a recent independent study of the pre-school teachers, one in every three teachers interviewed has an intention to leave within the next 12 months. More than half of them said that the low pay is the main push for leaving. Some others cited work stress as being unbearable. Imagine this: out of 100 who join the industry, only 66 will stay to the next age group. If nothing is done to stop this, the current spending by individuals, Government, pre-school centres on training and development would be wasted due to high turnover. And with higher turnover, more training will be needed for new staff, driving cost to increase. Sir, I believe that teaching pre-schoolers is not just about fun and games. It requires a unique set of skills and is enriched by the years of teaching experience. It is important for us to take care of the needs of our pre-school teachers and keep them motivated to deliver a high quality pre-school education while we enhance the qualification status.”
“I would like to know if there are any plans by the Ministry of Health to prevent obesity from threatening Singapore and what is the Ministry doing to prevent it from escalating. 4.45 pm”
“Sir, during the World AIDS Day in December last year, a survey on basic knowledge about HIV AIDS was conducted in Singapore. It is shocking to note that despite public awareness campaign about the disease, one third of the 705 survey respondents said they believe HIV can be transmitted through mosquito bites and kissing. More than half of the survey respondents also said they did not know HIV can be transmitted through breast milk. The survey also found that one in 11 people said he or she would not take an HIV test even if being HIV positive was a possibility. The findings of the survey worry me. Knowing how much effort we have put in to educate and create awareness about the disease, there is still so much ignorance about it in the public. This led me to think about the effectiveness of current healthcare awareness programme and the ones that we held in the past. We have to look at the effectiveness of the current efforts, especially those dealing with health promotion and disease prevention. I know that the Health Promotion Board is currently doing a lot in these areas. But are we actually getting better? Sir, based on what I see on the ground, I also observe that Singaporeans, young and old, are more obese and prone to health problems. Not only is obesity preventable, it could lead to multiple other conditions and could place a large burden on healthcare use and cost. We all know that prevention is the key to controlling obesity. Furthermore, the treatment of obesity is often difficult and frustrating to the patient and doctor and if weight loss is difficult, maintaining it is even more difficult. Sir, we need to enforce the importance of living a healthy lifestyle with focus on nutrition and exercise.”
“I am also concerned that the booming health tourism industry will result in the migration of doctors, specialists and other healthcare professionals from the public to the private sector either within Singapore or internationally. The needs of public healthcare professionals have to be looked at seriously to avoid a shortage in the future. In addition to providing attractive remuneration, we should also look at their career path, training and development needs to retain the professionals within the public sector.”
“Sir, I am glad to note that the Government continues to invest heavily in healthcare. As announced in the 2008 Budget, we are investing $900 million over the next five years to improve the infrastructure and facilities. In addition to that, we have also allocated another $1 billion to be spent over the next five years for the recruitment and training of healthcare professionals in the public sector. I believe this is a step in the right direction, especially when we know that the life expectancy of Singaporeans continues to increase. We have to be ready with infrastructure and medical professionals to handle the increase in the senior population. The elderly have many medical needs of varying dimensions and their care requires a multi-disciplinary healthcare team. Our ageing population would have serious implications for the number of healthcare professionals required. In 2003, when the proportion of Singapore's population aged 15 years and below was 21% and that above 65 years was 8%, there were 184 pediatricians and only 32 geriatricians. However, by the year 2015, both Singapore's population aged below 15 and above 65 is projected to be around 19% each, making the proportion of younger persons to older persons equal. This means that we will have a higher demand for geriatricians, nurses, physiotherapists, occupational therapists, speech therapists, dieticians and medical social workers. Are we doing enough to recruit and train the medical professionals to meet this demand. Are our local universities conducting the post-graduate courses in these relevant fields?”
“For example, we have a Serangoon recycling centre where various recycling companies are gathered together. This is something in which the market will have to react. We will continue to promote recycling both in industry and the households, and work with industries as to whether or not this will make economic sense. In terms of attracting companies to come to Singapore, this is the function of EDB, but we will continue to work with our economic agencies to see whether these are the kind of companies that we want to relocate to Singapore so that they can form part of the economic viability. But I agree with Mr Khew that will be one of our primary consideration because there is no point collecting all the papers and there is nowhere to go. But, at the same time, there are fluctuations in market prices that we cannot control. Global prices are something which we have no control over and, therefore, this may affect some of the decisions that we make. But we will continue to explore these options.”
“Sir, the Minister has created an excitement with the images of ABC. So let us ask the Minister whether there is any hope to advance the ABC project in Bishan and for the others too? Assoc. Prof. Dr Yaacob Ibrahim: Sir, when we launched the ABC Waters Programme, we mentioned that we will do 26 ABC projects in the next five years. I am not sure whether it includes Bishan but we will continue to explore. As long as you have a canal and it is part of our water catchment system, it is nearby a park, there is a park connector, I think we will consider it seriously. The ABC water plans that we will develop is for a very long term period but as we go along, we will learn, and I think it is better for us to learn from others, perhaps the day will come when his constituency will have one and it will be a better project than others. But certainly we want to explore all the available opportunities. Er Edwin Khew Teck Fook: The Minister did not answer my question. This is with regard to attracting companies with the recyclable technologies to come into Singapore. Will the Minister consider providing more incentives? Assuming right now that we are more efficient in terms of recycling various recyclables, how are we going to treat all these recyclables? I remember at one stage we had a mountain full of waste paper. We were so efficient in recycling paper that I think at that time the market value of paper was very low, so we were caught with this. Assoc. Prof. Dr Yaacob Ibrahim: Sir, I agree with Mr Edwin Khew that in order for recycling to make sense, we also have to have a viable economic model. In fact, my predecessor, Mr Lim Swee Say, has set in place very good programmes and policies.”
“Sir, I note that we have a sizeable budget for defence, but observers have little reason to be alarmed. Firstly, our Armed Forces are limited by size. Secondly, we are today faced with threats that are more complex than yesteryears'. With the increase of terrorist attacks, risks and piracy, our vulnerability has become of major concern. Over the years, the art of war has changed, and it is heartening to observe that our SAF has not remained stagnant. It is also noted that, from the early days of independence, our defence forces have undergone many transformations and changes. In this effort, it has not shied away from employing advanced technology and science for defence. From my perspective, Sir, it looks like the Defence Ministry's approach towards technological advancement is to combine homegrown research and international collaboration. This, to me, sounds like a positive development towards the SAF's 3G vision. Sir, could MINDEF provide an update on the SAF's 3G transformation efforts? Does the SAF's 3G transformation mean that there is a change of the SAF's mission? Is the SAF ready for unconventional threats? What is the key for the 3G SAF? Is it technology? We are all aware of MINDEF's efforts in defence research, and I am glad that we are not just buying technology but also building capabilities and capacities through research and development. Having said that, may I ask how much resources are being allocated for defence research? How are we benchmarking efficiencies in our defence research spending? And, more importantly, how do we measure the success of these research efforts? Lastly, Sir, would MINDEF consider transferring the R&D successes and intellectual property for commercialisation so that more could benefit from the research? SAF Careers”
“Sir, I have seen some experiences in Hong Kong and Canada, and I would like to see such underground development where we connect buildings, such as a massive project, and there are F&B connectivity and it is very convenient for the people. Can we envision that to happen in Singapore? Greening of Singapore”
“Sir, the other day I took a drive along Orchard Road and saw that new developments such as ION Orchard, Somerset Central and Orchard Central are progressing well. This led me to think about the future road traffic along Orchard Road and the role that public transportation has to play to manage the increased visitors and shoppers. It is already the most visited attraction in Singapore, attracting more than seven million visitors each year while thousands of local residents visit the areas for leisure or work each day. One of the critical success factors of Orchard Road is to make it even more pedestrian friendly and easy to access. In the initial master plan, I recall the proposal to have a comprehensive, integrated and seamless pedestrian walk network, including covered and open walk-ways, underground links as well as second-storey links between buildings. This will certainly facilitate inter-mall traffic without the use of passenger vehicles and, therefore, reducing the number of cars plying Orchard Road. In March 2004, a cash grant incentive was also introduced to help with the construction costs to create more underground links between selected buildings in Orchard Road. I would just like to know how successful is this incentive towards further development of user-friendly and convenience for users and visitors. Sir, I would also like to know whether the Ministry of National Development is keeping track of the number of connectivities that are planned or in place and whether it is sufficient to cater for the future needs and uses. Is the cash grant incentive still available and is it sufficient? Could we consider other incentives, for example, tax relief on cost of construction of these connectivities?”
“Sir, the Middle East region is one of Singapore's more important trading partners, outside our immediate economic neighbourhood in Asia and traditional markets like US and EU. The trade volume between Singapore and the Middle East has been increasing steadily and it is still far from reaching its fullest potential. For the past three years, senior Singaporean Government Ministers, including Prime Minister, Senior Minister and President S R Nathan, have made official visits to the Middle East and created new thrusts for the deepening of bilateral ties between Singapore and countries in the Middle East. In addition to diplomatic exchanges, these visits have managed to enhance bilateral political representations, helped the establishment of a new-joint Chambers of Commerce, fostered trade and investment agreements and other business initiatives, including the recent promotion of Singapore as a regional centre for Islamic banking. Sir, I am glad to note that the 2008 Budget has introduced a 5% concessionary tax rate for income derived from qualifying Syariah-compliant products. Our strong financial regulatory framework, coupled with the right incentives, will help position Singapore as a hub for Islamic banking and draw in key global players. Sir, on this basis, I would like to enquire on the progress of the Middle East Institute at the university. Have we crystalised the vision, mission and objective of this Institute? What is it supposed to be? Has any plans and timelines been drawn for the establishment of this Institute? Have we considered the resources and talents to man it? What are the opportunities for our local talents to be actively involved in contributing to this Institute?”
“(In English): It will be a volatile and challenging year ahead for us, especially for the poor and ugly. I thank the Government for a Budget that is committed to preparing us well, to weather the storm and beyond it. The lower and middle-income groups are the foundation and basis of our social strata. While we have given them a shelter, it cannot be just a temporary one. We must do more to protect their rights, engage them and make them aware of the assistance and financial help available for them. Recently, Prime Minister Lee said during his Chinese New Year dinner at Teck Ghee about the rising food prices, and I quote him, "Bread is bread and rice is rice." Allow me to borrow his terms and add that people are not just people. We are individuals and deserve to be treated with respect, dignity and given opportunities to fulfil our potential. Each of us must do our part to make this come true. With that, Sir, I support the Budget. *Cols. 691-696. 1.23 pm”
“First, I feel that we have to handle this issue of dysfunctional families together. I feel that this problem has replaced drugs as the social problem today. Just as community effort has the solution for the drug problem, the same community effort, with the Government’s help, must also be the solution towards helping dysfunctional Malay families. The first important step is for the community to identify that dysfunctional families are a problem and accept it as a problem that we must overcome. Secondly, these families need the community's help to be independent. They not only need financial help but also attention and guidance, like counselling and enrichment programmes. Here, the Government can provide more resources and assistance. They need to build their confidence and pride, and be imbued with the correct values, in order to encourage them to change and improve their situation. We must not make any mistakes. This is a big problem and a very difficult challenge to overcome, but we can overcome it. When a community is faced with a clear proof that questions its ethics, value system or the whole way of life, there is but one true way to test the community's resolve. The way is through its response. I hope that more resources can be given by the Government to help resolve this problem, and these resources have to be given to self-help groups, family service centres and also social workers, to solve the issue of dysfunctional families. Let us approach these families that have problems and no choice. The success stories must be continued because the Malay community can achieve such success. It is our responsibility to contribute to Singapore's overall successful growth and social cohesion.”
“The numbers are not small. Three-quarters of all divorces in Singapore involve Muslim couples. Foetuses that are not claimed due to births or abortions among Malay teenagers have increased significantly, around 225% within a short five years, from the year 2000 to 2005. Obviously, these three issues are related and form a vicious cycle. Poor parental guidance at home means that there is no one telling the teenagers to avoid pre-marital sex. These pregnancies, in addition to the pressure to get married, will lead to unhappy families, where the parents are unable to give emotional and financial support to raise their children. These pressures result in divorce and, once again, lead to a scenario of single parents and the lack of support and guidance. Many cases of dysfunctional Malay families that were seen by social workers, grassroots leaders and the Government have always been portrayed as such: the fathers are not around - sometimes in jail - and the mothers have a huge challenge to take care of the child on her own. Usually, the mothers face financial problems and are unable to pay the house bills. In some cases, the children are taken care of by relatives like grandparents, aunties and uncles, who also have their own problems and cannot afford to give good childcare. If this vicious cycle is not taken care of, it will erode the achievements of the Malay community. But history has shown that the Malay community has the ability to face and overcome these challenges. So, what can the community and its leaders do? How can they approach families who have many personal problems? What are the assistance and steps that the Government can take to help and reduce the increasing number of dysfunctional families?”
“For example, Malay students who have five 'O' levels passes have increased from 15% in 1980 to 60% today. More than 80% of Malay students are studying in post-secondary institutions, like the ITE, polytechnics and pre-universities. In fact, the Malay community is in the right track to reach the 90% mark of students entering post-secondary institutions by 2010. We are now seeing a continuing progress and improvement in education, and this is a good development for the Malay community. The excellent achievement of Natasha Nabila Muhamad Nasir in this year's PSLE is a good example of this progress. Buying Power The increase in the number of middle-class Malays has increased the community’s buying power. This is achieved through the community’s effort to improve their education levels. As a result, more Malays now have jobs that pay better salaries, with higher skills and qualifications. The Malay community has more young professionals due to Singapore's effective education system. They are progressive, have open minds and confident, apart from making contributions in their own careers. They are not only successful here. These new Singaporean Malays also possess a global mind, thus strengthening them socially and economically. They can achieve all these by being competitive and working with the best in their own industries. However, the challenge is not over. As the Malay community closes the gap with other races in education and jobs, other issues have also surfaced. I am very concerned with the Malay family life. For example, divorce among Malay families has increased. The number of children being taken care of by single parents has also increased. And, most alarmingly, the number of female teenagers who gave birth continues to increase.”
“They are living hand to mouth every day, and a day spent in training is a day not spent earning. We cannot rely on the employers either, who may have different interests. I hope that our Government looks seriously into introducing individual initiated learning courses specifically for these "at-risk" workers, and convince them about the need for upgrading. If we are moving towards portable health benefits, why not portable training benefits too? Or, Government could encourage contract term employers and service providers to send their employees for training by allowing them to apply for absentee payroll. This would soften the blow to their bottom line. Mr Speaker, I will continue my speech in Malay. (In Malay): [For vernacular speech, please refer to Appendix A*. ] Mr Speaker, for a long time the Malay community has faced challenges to upgrade themselves in education, work and income. This happens even though the Government has laid out a level playing field and equal opportunity in terms of education and jobs. Fortunately, there is a broad realisation that these challenges can be overcome through cooperation. This is important because in order to improve the community, we not only need the administrative structure provided by the Government, but also discussions within the community on their objectives and values, and calls to take action. This can only be done by the community itself, with the Government's help. Therefore, I am proud that the Singaporean Malay community is able to make good achievements, especially in education and jobs. Let us celebrate their achievements. In terms of education, almost 100% of Malay students are in schools. The dropout rate continues to decrease and educational achievements continue to improve.”
“It was Winston Churchill that said, "Men occasionally stumble over the truth, but most pick up themselves and hurry off as though nothing happened." It is everyone's social responsibility to help the less fortunate. Businesses which have deeper pockets and resources must look beyond the cheapest bid when outsourcing; instead, also choose the service provider based on their employment practices. The service provider employees are there to perform a service for you and contribute to your success in one way or another. Treat them as decently as you treat your own employees. You can report errant employers to the Ministry of Manpower and the CPF Board for further investigations. We must also teach the "at-risk" workers to stand up for themselves. If they feel that they have been exploited, the workers must complain to the Ministry of Manpower or the CPF Board or even to NTUC's Unit for Contract and Casual Workers (UCCW) without fear of reprisal. Sir, here, I would like to declare my involvement in NTUC's Unit for Contract and Casual Workers. On the other hand, for service providers, please be reminded that your contract and casual workers are your company's "life blood". Without them, you have no business. Treat them with respect and fulfil your legal and social obligations to them. Contribute to their CPF, give them benefits, preserve their rights, and let them upgrade their skills. Tap on the Government's training programmes to do so. A happy workforce could just be the competitive advantage that you have been looking for. Continuous training and reskilling programmes would be critical to move people from the "at-risk" to the "no-longer-at-risk" category. However, I would understand if the cleaner at the shopping centre and others like him do not want to go for training.”
“The employers call this "achieving cost efficiencies". In fact, others might call this "worker exploitation". I once had a chat with a general cleaner at one of the shopping centres here. He told me that he is being paid an hourly rate with no CPF and no benefits. If he has to take sick leave, he is not paid for the day. He has to pay for his meals, transportation and medical treatment. There is no vacation time. He once had to work double shifts because his finances were getting very tight. You may ask, "Why not ask for more pay?" In fact, he dares not ask his boss for fear of being replaced by someone else. There is no contract, no termination notice period, no separation benefits. He gets zero employ ee rights. And he is particularly anxious at the end of the year when the tender for the cleaning contract is reopened, because his bosses try to undercut the competition and compensation for the lower margins come out of the cleaners' pockets. The cleaners are, in fact, subsidising the shopping centre's expenditure on janitorial services. I know another cleaner whose salary dropped each time the school awarded its cleaning contract to a new contractor. So far, she has had three different employers, three salary reductions, but she is still doing the same task - cleaning the same classrooms and toilets at the same school. Do not these stories unsettle you? These two cleaners and others like them are "at-risk" workers. The workers "at-risk" are not a small number. You could fill the old 55,000-seat National Stadium with them and still have 10,000 others standing in queue outside waiting to get in. What should we do to help them grow into strong trees?”
“If workers are like trees - now everybody is going green so I am going to use trees as an analogy - and the goal is to help them grow strong and healthy, the CET's training programmes are like the important nutrients it receives from the rain and the sun. But for the tree to grow well, it also needs to find a spot with high quality soil to sink its roots for sustainable living. So, over the past five years, NTUC has been trying to till and nurture this soil which forms another key part of the workers' eco-system. NTUC actively leads the Job Recreation Programme (JRP) to achieve three angles. Firstly, more Singaporeans are able to hold on to their jobs or get into jobs. Secondly, they get paid more for each job that they get. Thirdly, they are proud to hold these jobs. A key pillar of this programme is our Job Redesign collaboration with WDA and other Government agencies. The Job Redesign Programme creates many more job opportunities, especially for older retrenched workers. I am proud to say that we have seen good progress in sectors other than cleaning, like healthcare and security, and the list is still growing. While the Government and worker-advocates like NTUC are trying to build a harmonious workers eco-system, we must recognise that there will be workers who are more vulnerable than others to certain elements. Some trees end up in the shade of other trees due to factors outside their control and cannot grow well because they do not get enough sunlight. I call these "trees" the "at-risk" workers. They are the helpless, low-wage, casual and contract workers whom employers are tempted to sacrifice first in a business environment that is highly competitive, where there is a tight labour market and increasing business cost.”
“Some older workers have asked me, "Is it really realistic to believe that they can still reskill even if they wanted to? Is it worth doing at a late stage in life?" If you get asked the same question, please tell them Mr Mohd Rosdi's story. It might inspire them. Rosdi's father died when he was 16, leaving him as the sole breadwinner of the family. Not able to continue in school, he became a sailor. That was 26 years ago. Today, Rosdi holds a Master degree in Maritime Study and he is a lecturer at STET Maritime Education. How did he do it? By believing in his capabilities and the benefits of reskilling. As a sailor, Rosdi hungered for learning and signed up for the courses with the Singapore Maritime Officers Union and eventually became a Maritime Superintendent. He never stopped believing in upgrading and enrolled himself into an Advanced Diploma in Business Management, paving the way for his achievements today. For that, Rosdi was honoured last year by the WDA as a lifelong learner. Sir, Oscar Wilde once said, "We are all in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the stars." Well, Rosdi was one of those who always looked at the stars. If you ask him, he will tell you that reskilling can be done and it is certainly worth doing. And, now, more people can do it. Thanks to the Continuing Education and Training (CET) Masterplan, the target is to increase worker training capacity from 20,000 trainees to 80,000 trainees a year and offer more programmes to more industries. I am heartened to note that the 2008 Budget strengthens the Masterplan by proposing a top-up to the Lifelong Learning Endowment Fund by $800 million this year, bringing it to $3 billion and making revisions to the Skills Development Levy. I see the CET as part of an eco-system for workers, Mr Speaker.”